Gee, I wish I'd known about the FML or something 10 years ago when I got my
first ferret.  He was a "whole" male and I guess I made every error on the
books in the short time we were together.  The vet who altered him was
excellent - Don just happened to be one who could not tolerate anesthesia.  I
got that awful call at work just a few hours after I took him in for surgery.
The next ferret, a few years later, was a real cute fellow.  Sean had to be
left in the care of a friend just a few weeks after I got him - I had to care
for my grandmother full time for a couple of months.  The friend (ex-friend)
was willing to take Sean - but apparently either ignored the basic needs or
poked and prodded the little guy for fun, until he turned truely mean.  A
mutual friend caught on to what was going on and took Sean himself - but in
the long run, no one could handle him without needing stiches.  Sad end.
A few years later, more stable, I got Crystal.  She is now six, according to
my vet, as healthy as a four year old.  Perhaps this is because all Crystal
has ever eaten has been Iams kitten food.  Her choice, I offered all the
wrong stuff, she just doesn't want it.  She is the "mommy" to all other
animals here.
We got DeeDee to be Crystal's sister and they were.  Totally devoted to each
other - when Crystal got lost for four (long) days, Dee was the droopiest.
 When Crys came back - the dance of joy went on for hours.  But Dee loved suga
r and we were ignorant.  We lost her in August of '94 to kidney failure.
Three years ago, we were looking for a male ferret for my stepson - to live
with us, but to be "his" ferret.  My sister in law told us about a friend who
needed a home for her male.  The lady changed her mind the day we were to get
him.  But, the same sister in law had also heard about the friend of a friend
with a ferret who was to be put to sleep as the owner was going into the
service and couldn't find a home for the baby.  Which is how Pumpkin came to
us.  Okay, another girl wasn't on the list - but she is wonderful.  Fit right
in from day one.  She was another sugar freak.  We almost lost her, but our
wonderful (new) vet saved her.  Surgery was a piece of cake, he said, she
just didn't want to live.  After much back and forth with him, with Dr. Brown
on America OnLine and a lot of force feeding, she came back to be healthier
than ever.
After we got Pumpkin, the lady with the male changed her mind again and we
took him.  I was so glad when we got him home, our three girls wanted to love
him from the start.  He was so overwhelmed with affection.  He'd been abused,
badly, many "lumps" that turned out to be badly healed broken bones.  He loved
 everyone and was never so happy as being held.  In July of '94 I held him
for the last time. He hadn't seemed ill, but one morning I woke to find him
on the floor next to the bed, his breathing was awful and after a moment of
being held, his eyes glazed.  He'd been licking me, so I want to believe he
knew I was holding him.  We'd gotten in the van and were on the way to the
vets - but we lost him before we got there.  This was the first visit to the
new vet - we hadn't decided if we should switch or not, but still, they were
very kind.
Just recently a new baby came to us.  Her name is Riki.  A fellow my husband
works with came to him with a tale about a family friend that had gotten a
dog who was trying to kill their ferret and they were going to "let it go
wild" and he got them to wait to see if we'd take her.  I think more likely
their son, who had gotten the ferret a few years before and had just turned
16 had simply gotten too busy to care for her.  I'm so glad we have her now.
 She's as much a clown, as hyper, as smart as Dee.  And as loving as Donovan.
 She kind of fills in the gap.
We also have two cats who think that Crystal is their mommy.  Britany is
devoted to Pumpkin (she stayed in the cage after Pumpkin's surgery, cleaning
her, snuggling, lifting her into the litter box when Pumpkin couldn't really
climb in herself, then taking her out after) and Guenevere and Riki tear
around together like they have the secret of perpetual motion.
Well, that was a really long post - but now you know us.
Valerie and the little dears
[Posted in FML issue 1094]